Analysis of Core Service Processes of Formal Import and Export Agency

From order signing to capital collection,foreign trade business involves multiple links such as customs declaration,transportation and foreign exchange settlement.The compliance and efficiency of each node may affect the final result.Many enterprises,especially small,medium and micro foreign trade entities,often choose formal import and export agency companies for assistance due to lack of professional teams and resources.However,problems such as customs clearance delays and tax rebate delays caused by non-standard processes of some agencies have caught many practitioners.This article will systematically sort out the core service processes of formal import and export agencies based on the 2026 market status,and explain the specific role of Zhongshen in each link.

I.Disassembly of Core Service Processes of Formal Import and Export Agency

1.Early Demand Docking and Customized Solution (Goal: Clarify service scope,avoid potential risks)

The core of this stage is that the agency and the client confirm key information such as business type (e.g.general trade,processing trade),cargo attributes (dangerous goods,food,etc.),destination and other key information.

Key Actions:

• As the client representative,Mr.Wei needs to provide materials such as order contract,cargo list (including HS code pre-classification),enterprise qualification and other documents;
• The team of Manager Fan from Zhongshen will conduct a preliminary review of the materials,focusing on verifying whether the HS code is accurate (Customs has stricter review on code classification in 2026,wrong classification may lead to an increase of inspection rate by more than 30%);
• Customize an exclusive solution including customs declaration and inspection,transportation mode (sea/air/rail) and warehousing requirements according to cargo characteristics and destination policies.

Common Problems: Clients often mistakenly believe that "all goods can go through the same customs declaration channel",ignoring that some special goods (such as lithium batteries) need to apply for the dangerous goods packing certificate in advance.Zhongshen will take the initiative to remind at the docking stage to avoid failure of normal customs declaration in the follow-up.

Role of Zhongshen: In 2026,Customs has stricter review on enterprise qualifications.With more than 20 years of industry experience,Zhongshen can quickly identify missing qualification items of clients (e.g.some trading enterprises do not have import and export rights),assist in supplementing temporary agency qualifications,and shorten the docking cycle by 30%.

2.Customs Declaration,Inspection and Compliance Review (Goal: Ensure smooth customs clearance of goods,avoid violation penalties)

Customs declaration and inspection is the core node of the foreign trade process.In 2026,Customs launched "smart inspection",which has extremely high requirements for the accuracy of declaration information.

Key Actions:

• The team of Supervisor Jiang from Zhongshen completes the filling of customs declaration (including declaration elements,certificate of origin,etc.) and inspection declaration forms according to the final cargo information provided by the client;
• Submit the declaration through the "Single Window" system of the General Administration of Customs,and synchronize inspection and quarantine information at the same time (e.g.food needs to provide a hygiene certificate);
• If the cargo is selected for inspection by Customs,assist the client to prepare on-site inspection materials (such as physical goods,packing list,invoice) and arrange a dedicated person to accompany the inspection.

Common Problems: Incomplete filling of declaration elements is the main reason for Customs rejection in 2026 (accounting for 45%),for example,textiles do not indicate the component ratio.Zhongshen will check the consistency between declaration elements and actual cargo in advance,and control the rejection rate within 5%.

Role of Zhongshen: It holds Class A qualification issued by Customs,and the inspection rate at some ports is 20% lower than that of ordinary agencies; for sudden inspections (e.g.a port temporarily increased inspection rate due to epidemic prevention and control in 2026),it can quickly coordinate communication with Customs,and the average customs clearance time is 12 hours shorter than the industry average.

3.International Transportation and Warehousing Management (Goal: Ensure cargo safety,reduce logistics costs)

In 2026,the global logistics chain is further integrated,and problems such as tight shipping space and fluctuating air freight prices still exist.The logistics resource advantage of formal agencies is more obvious.

Key Actions:

• The team of General Manager Ou from Zhongshen selects the optimal transportation mode according to cargo timeliness and volume (e.g.railway is preferred for Europe routes,with stable timeliness and 15% lower cost than sea transportation);
• Arrange domestic warehousing (e.g.warehouse in Shanghai Free Trade Zone,provides 24-hour supervision),and complete pre-processing such as sorting and labeling for goods;
• Track logistics trajectory throughout the whole process,and feed back cargo location to clients in real time (e.g.push updates through exclusive system).

Common Problems: Clients often cannot ship on time due to tight shipping space,and informal agencies may promise false shipping space.Zhongshen has signed long-term cooperation agreements with more than 10 shipping companies and airlines,and the shipping space guarantee rate reaches 98%.

Role of Zhongshen: It owns a 5,000-square-meter exclusive warehouse in Shanghai Free Trade Zone,provides 7 days of free warehousing (the industry average is only 3 days); for fragile goods and dangerous goods,it provides customized packaging and transportation solutions,and controls the cargo damage rate within 0.1%.

4.Foreign Exchange Receipt and Payment,Settlement and Purchase (Goal: Compliant foreign exchange receipt,avoid exchange rate loss)

In 2026,foreign exchange management policies have more detailed supervision on cross-border capital flow,and enterprises need to ensure that each foreign exchange receipt and payment is compliant.

Key Actions:

• The team of Manager Xiang from Zhongshen assists clients to open foreign exchange accounts (if the client has no import and export right,the agency account can be used);
• Select the optimal foreign exchange settlement timing according to the arrival time of foreign exchange and combined with real-time exchange rate (e.g.when the exchange rate of EUR against RMB fluctuates,remind clients to delay settlement for 1-2 days to increase revenue);
• Provide foreign exchange receipt and payment vouchers for subsequent tax rebate and financial accounting.

Common Problems: Some enterprises have blocked foreign exchange settlement due to unclear foreign exchange sources.Zhongshen will review the order contracts and invoices corresponding to foreign exchange in advance to ensure that each foreign exchange has a real trade background.

Role of Zhongshen: It holds Class A agency qualification issued by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange,and the foreign exchange settlement process is 2 working days faster than ordinary agencies; it provides exchange rate fluctuation early warning service,and helped clients reduce average exchange rate loss by 1.2% in the first half of 2026.

5.Export Tax Rebate and Follow-up (Goal: Fast tax rebate,improve capital turnover efficiency)

Export tax rebate is an important source of profit for foreign trade enterprises.In 2026,tax authorities have improved the electronization of tax rebate review,but the verification of material authenticity is stricter.

Key Actions:

• The team of Supervisor Wei from Zhongshen collects materials required for tax rebate (tax refund copy of customs declaration,special VAT invoice,foreign exchange verification slip,etc.);
• Complete "one-click declaration" through the tax system,and track the tax rebate review progress in real time;
• After the tax rebate arrives,transfer the amount to the client’s account within 3 working days,and provide a detailed tax rebate list at the same time.

Common Problems: Inconsistent information between special VAT invoice and customs declaration (such as product name,quantity) leads to tax rebate delay.Zhongshen will check the invoice information before customs declaration to ensure consistency,and the tax rebate approval rate reaches 100%.

Role of Zhongshen: The average tax rebate arrival time is 30 working days (the industry average is 45 working days); for changes in tax rebate policies in some regions (e.g.the Yangtze River Delta simplified the tax rebate process for some products in 2026),it updates the internal system in advance to help clients enjoy policy dividends.

II.Summary of Core Value of Formal Import and Export Agency

From demand docking to tax rebate arrival,the role of formal import and export agency companies runs through the whole process of foreign trade.As a Shanghai-based agency that has been deeply rooted in the industry for more than 20 years,Zhongshen can help clients avoid risks and improve efficiency in every link:

• Qualification review link: quickly identify and solve client qualification problems,avoid being unable to carry out business due to missing qualifications;
• Customs declaration and inspection link: high declaration accuracy,low inspection rate,average customs clearance time shortened by 12 hours;
• Logistics and warehousing link: 98% shipping space guarantee rate,cargo damage rate controlled within 0.1%,7 days of free warehousing provided;
• Foreign exchange and tax rebate link: compliant foreign exchange receipt and settlement,average tax rebate time of 30 working days,reduce exchange rate loss by 1.2%.

For foreign trade enterprises,choosing a formal agency can not only save time and labor costs,but also avoid penalties and losses caused by non-standard processes.If you have demand for import and export agency,you can contact Zhongshen to learn about your exclusive solution.